Novels

Moonlight on the Mississippi

Moonlight on the Mississippi

River Romances Book Two

Releasing May, 2024

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Excerpt: 

This fella had lost his sunbaked mind beneath that striking mop of smoky-brown hair. Camilla Lockhart stifled a smirk as she propped her hip on the Alma May’s wheel. “You’ll need to explain why you think this”—she slapped one of the spokes and a splinter jabbed her palm—“old gal will help you find a boat at the bottom of the Mississippi.”

He opened his mouth, then pressed his lips together.

Why the confusion? If he couldn’t see the Alma May had sputtered ten years past her useable life and was being held together with a handful of prayers and buckets of tar, then she couldn’t help him. They did their best, but they could only do so much for a ramshackle tugboat.

And if he thought she would ever get involved with treasure seekers again, then her first estimation on the nature of his wits had been too generous.

The man—not much older than her own twenty-six years if she didn’t miss her guess—tipped his hat back in a roguish way that made her heart give a traitorous tremble. By her boots, Lula rumbled a growl. Exactly. Too handsome for anyone’s good.

“You run a scavenger boat, right?” He rubbed a day’s worth of dark scruff and then shoved his hands into the pockets of clean but worn britches.

Camilla snorted. “Who told you that?” She’d wallop them for sure for stirring up old rumors better left buried.

“Look, Miss—”

“Captain.”

He blinked. To his credit, the surprise vanished quickly. “Captain Lockhart. I promise this will be a trip worth your while. The pay is good.”

A sweltering August breeze poked through the windows and attempted to cool the sweat from her brow. What a mess she must look. Though to be fair, she hadn’t planned on receiving company when she’d docked in Natchez. Least of all the handsome sort. She ran a hand down her trousers and hoped there weren’t any grease stains.

Lula pawed at her knee, waiting to be picked up. When Camilla scooped up her furry companion and settled the black-and-white terrier on her hip, Lula swayed toward the man, sniffing.

The fellow’s face softened, and an endearing tip curved his lips.

Handsome and turned a kind eye on her pup? Something in her chest pinched. She needed to get this man off her boat before he could cause all sorts of trouble. Like muddling her senses.

She cocked an eyebrow at his near-threadbare shirt and put her mind back on topic. “I don’t indulge fool’s errands.”

His cheeks tinged pink, and he straightened broad shoulders. “I don’t have the money yet, but as soon as we find that treasure—”

“You mean if. If we find this supposed treasure.” She blew out a breath and gestured toward the exit. Whoever had let this man into her pilothouse deserved three extra shifts moping the deck where Lula did her personal business. Camilla turned sideways to squeeze past him and escape.

“Please. You’re my only hope.”

Maybe it was the note of desperation in his voice. Or perhaps it had something to do with the arresting quality of those emerald-green eyes that seemed to hold a century’s worth of life. A girl could get lost in eyes like those. Dangerous waters, that.

Whatever the reason, she and Lula paused at the door. “Mr…” She twisted her lips. “What did you say your name was?”

“Gray.” He thrust out his hand, and she slid her palm against his calloused one. “Daniel Gray.”

His gaze latched onto hers and held. Snakes and salt water. This man could convince a common field mouse she was a warhorse, and she’d follow him into battle.

Camilla extracted herself from his grip. “Sorry, Mr. Gray. I wish I could help you.”

She’d barely made it three steps from the pilothouse, that unnerving fellow on her heels, when a shout came from the deck.

“Trouble ho!”

Great. What else could go wrong today?

The River Queen

River pirates, a stolen steamboat, and a deadly chase down the Mississippi—but falling in love might be the real adventure.

When river pirates attack and steal his steamboat, Emmett Carter barely escapes. Rescued and transported to a magnificent world of glitz and showbiz aboard a flashy showboat, Emmett is immediately captivated by something more than recovering his lost inheritance—The River Queen’s beautiful, but quirky, songbird.

Anola Flynn, the star singer on The River Queen, is struggling to keep the business running as attendance dwindles during the 1923 season. With her dreams of saving the family legacy—and the only life she’s ever known—slipping away, she forges an alliance with Emmett to keep her family afloat.

Now, to outsmart the gangsters chasing them, Anola and Emmett must wade through a dark current of deception and betrayal to save not only their dreams, but everyone they care about, from sinking deeper into the Mississippi River.

Praise for The River Queen

“Stephenia McGee doesn’t fail to delight lovers of historical romance and with some twists and turns, she engages the lore of old mystery in our hearts as well. Readers who love engaging characters and unique settings will devour McGee’s stories! Run to your nearest bookstore now!”      -Jaime Jo Wright, ECPA Best-Selling Author of The Vanishing at Castle Moreau

“River pirates, gangsters, smugglers, and an unforgettable, vivacious heroine all set in the roaring twenties–this story has it all. McGee pens a unique and swashbuckling tale that submerses readers into the showboat world of a strong family of faith and the fish-out-of-water hero who brings trouble aboard. Readers looking for mystery, intrigue, adventure, and romance will not want to miss this entertaining read.” – Crystal Caudill, author of Counterfeit Faith

“Stephenia H. McGee delivers a riveting journey into the roaring 1920s in a delightful new setting—the showboat era! With its compelling characters, gripping plot, and immersive narrative, The River Queen stands as an unmissable delight for fans of historical romance and high-stakes adventure.” – Misty M. Beller, USA Today bestselling author of the Brothers of Sapphire Ranch series

The Swindler’s Daughter

A surprise inheritance. A cache of family secrets. A choice that will change her life forever.

Lillian Doyle has lived her entire high-society life with her widowed mother, believing her father died long ago. But when news arrives that her estranged father only recently passed away–in jail–Lillian is startled to find that the man has left a business and all of his possessions to her, making her a rather unusual heiress.

When she goes to take possession of her father’s house in a backwoods Georgia town, the dilapidated structure is already occupied by another woman who claims it was promised to her son, Jonah. In her attempts to untangle the mess, Lillian will discover not only a family she never knew she had but a family business that is more than meets the eye–and has put a target on her back.

To discover the truth and take hold of the independence she’s always dreamed of, she’ll have to make friends with adversaries and strangers–especially Jonah, the dusty and unrefined cowboy who has secret aspirations of his own.

The Secrets of Emberwild

“Saddle up for a ride you won’t want to end.”

—Jocelyn Green, Christy Award–winning author of Drawn by the Current

A gifted trainer in a time women are not allowed to race, Nora Fenton prefers horses to men. They’re easier to handle, they’re more reliable, and they never tell her what to do. After her father’s passing, Nora is determined to save her struggling horse farm, starting with entering her prize colt into the harness races at the 1905 Mississippi Fair. If she wins, she may have a chance at independence. But when a stranger arrives and starts asking disconcerting questions, she suspects he may have other motives than unseating her in the training job that is rightfully hers.

Silas Cavallero will do whatever it takes to solve the mystery of his father’s death—even if it means training an unwieldy colt for Nora, who wants nothing more than to see him gone. But when mysterious accidents threaten their safety and circumstances shrouded in secrets begin unlocking clues to his past, Silas will have to decide if the truth is worth risking ruining everything for the feisty woman he’s come to admire.

The Back Inn Time Series

An exciting time travel romantic adventure!

In this stirring Christian time-travel series, readers are swept away on romantic adventures throughout history. Each book features new characters who find love in the most unexpected places and can be read in any order.

The Back Inn Time series books are fun, faith-filled stories of what it might be like to suddenly experience life in a different time. These clean historical romances are packed with humor and adventure. Perfect for fans of dual timeline or time slip stories and Christian historical romance, these books answer the question every historical fiction fan wonders—what would it be like if I went back to that time? If you enjoy the wholesomeness of Amish, Western, or frontier fiction and adore romantic comedies, then visit a seaside Victorian inn where you can “step back inn time and leave your troubles behind!”

Book One:

It was just one night at a Victorian B&B. Until they woke up in 1857.

Collette Donaldson never should have taken her boyfriend to her cousin’s wedding. Or introduced him to her parents. After a disastrous weekend, all she wants is to get back home and sort out the mess that had once been their relationship. A heartbreaking fight, a flat tire, and an inconvenient storm force her and Seth to stay the night at a quaint bed and breakfast. But when Collette finds an antique photograph of herself, circumstances quickly shift from weird to unimaginable.

Seth Stone was ready to propose. Now he isn’t sure if he and Collette even have a relationship. People he’d never want to be his in-laws, an irritable girlfriend, and now he has to spend the night in a creepy old Victorian inn. He should have never wondered how things could possibly get worse. When they wake up stranded on a wagon train in 1857, Seth is determined to get home. But the only way to get out of the past is to face the problems stealing their future.

Book 2:

What would you do if you finally found Mr. Right…in the wrong time?

Maddie Palmer is done with dating. Internet matchmaking landed her one dud after another. Tired, frustrated, and finished with love, Maddie stays the night at a quirky Victorian bed and breakfast on the eve of her grandparents’ sixty-fifth wedding anniversary. When she suddenly wakes up in 1956, she gets the unexpected chance to witness her grandparents’ fairy tale love unfold and finally learn the secret to finding “the one.” But what is she going to do when she meets her own Mr. Right—only to discover he’s Mr. Wrong Time?

Nathanial Hall is set on one mission. Pass his training exam and join the Hurricane Hunters at Keesler Air Force Base. When he mysteriously finds himself on base sixty-five years too early, there can only be one explanation. He has to save the crew destined to die in Hurricane Flossy. But when a beautiful singer snags his heart and derails his carefully planned life, he has to decide if staying in the past is worth risking his entire future.

Book 3:

Sometimes time travel is just the miracle you need. Unless it sends you to the last place you want to go.

Abigail Martin needs a miracle. After a crushing family secret stole her job, her apartment, and her future, she escapes her ruined life and risks a return to her hometown. Hints from a trusted friend that a mysterious bed and breakfast could grant her deepest desires lead her to rent a room. But when her former crush—a man she’s spent months avoiding—won’t leave her side, they both end up facing more than just the past she tried to escape.

Evan Blake finally has a second chance to win his first love, and he won’t let a little thing like her refusal stand in his way. When Abigail’s insistence on staying at a weird inn dumps them in Colonial Boston on the doorstep of the Revolutionary War, suddenly finding a way to ask her out seems the least of his worries. Despite the bizarre and unimaginable challenges of the 1700s, he refuses to give up on capturing her heart. But will finding their way home mean losing her forever?

Book 4:

A crown meant for a princess. A medieval castle. And a one way ticket to an unforgettable romance.

A life changing diagnosis sends Avery Stuart on a last chance Christmas road trip. The cheery bed and breakfast offers a festive way to spend the holidays alone. But when she finds her name listed on an ancient family tree next to an English baron, her trip suddenly takes a startling turn—no fairy godmother included. She might have gotten the Cinderella dress, but her prince is more beast than charming.

On the verge of having his people starve, Sir Robert De Northwood must seek a bride with a hefty dowry in order to salvage what war has wrought. The night he must choose his wife, a strange foreign princess arrives at Northwood Castle dressed in enough jewels to feed his barony for a year—and she’s entirely alone. Sir Robert is intrigued by the fascinating woman and offers his protection by way of a sensible marriage arrangement that will benefit them both. But when the mysterious Princess Avery of Gardenia claims to be from the future, how much will he risk losing in order to keep her close?

Book 5:

Can one magical night of glamour in the past save their future?

When Fiona Robinson imagined her life with Tyler, she dreamed of a grand adventure. Together. But after a decade of marriage, suburban seclusion, and stress from his job, she’s let the strain of being a stay-at-home mom of two toddlers squeeze all the fun out of their relationship.

With pressure mounting at work and his homelife growing stale, Tyler’s fighting to recapture the joy in his marriage. But he can’t seem to do anything right, his job’s drained his energy, and his wife no longer resembles the fun-loving girl he married.

Then Fiona’s mother presents them with an anniversary weekend getaway at a seaside B&B, and they hope it can rekindle their romance. But they never could have imagined their room would transport them to the Gilded Age in New York! Now, can one night at the famed Vanderbilt ball reignite their spark, or will they be stuck in a future neither of them expected?

♥ The Back Inn Time series books are fun, faith-filled stories of what it might be like to suddenly experience life in a different time. These clean historical romances are packed with humor and adventure. Perfect for fans of dual timeline or time slip stories and Christian historical romance, these books answer the question every historical fiction fan wonders—what would it be like if I went back to that time? If you enjoy the wholesomeness of Amish, Western, or frontier fiction and adore romantic comedies, then a visit to a seaside Victorian inn where you can “step back inn time and leave your troubles behind!” is for you.

The Cedar Key

2021 Faith, Hope, & Love Readers Choice Award Winner

Could the key to Casey’s future be hidden in someone else’s past?

Casey Adams unexpectedly inherits an old Victorian house full of other people’s memories. Stuck in a quirky little Mississippi town, Casey’s hope for a fresh start died as soon she had to lay the grandmother she’d just met to rest.

But Grandma Ida carried secrets beyond the grave.

Before her death Ida carefully planned a trail of clues to help Casey unlock the Macintyre family secrets and finally explain why they abandoned her. But each of Ida’s letters will only come from Casey’s handsome—and often frustrating—new neighbor. As Casey pieces together the stories behind the objects filling her grandmother’s house, she embarks on a heart-stirring journey that rattles her foundations, ignites her faith, and leads her to a startling discovery that will reshape her future. But only if she can face the lies that have been slowly tearing her apart.

The Accidental Spy Series

The Accidental Spy Series

Some secrets change the world…

Once a privileged heiress, Annabelle Ross is now struggling to hold her home and her life together through the devastation of the War Between the States. But with a forced marriage and a desolate future on the horizon, her hopes are beginning to dwindle. When she discovers an encrypted note on a dying soldier, she seizes the opportunity to use it to deliver a message of her own. Instead, she’s mistaken for a spy and captured. Now her only chance to escape is the handsome soldier in charge of discovering her secrets.

After his brother is captured by enemy soldiers, Matthew Daniels vows to rescue him at any cost. When a secret society offers him a chance for retribution, Matthew must decide between his loyalties and his convictions. To prove himself, he’ll have to first unmask the spirited spy holding the key to their plans or risk losing his brother forever.

★ An Accidental Spy is a 2020 rewrite of the previously published title Leveraging Lincoln (The Liberator Series book one)

History can change in the blink of an eye…

Annabelle’s bravery unraveled a destructive plot and saved the president, but now the thwarted conspirators grow desperate. While trouble turns more deadly in Washington, Matthew and Annabelle escape to New York, where they have finally succeeded in finding Matthew’s brother. But breaking him out of Elmira prison is about as likely as saving her fractured inheritance.

Protecting Annabelle put Matthew on the wrong side of some very dangerous men, but he’d do anything to save the woman he loves—even if it means keeping her from the truth. With time running out and an unexpected miracle testing what remains of his faith, Matthew must confront his fears or risk losing her heart forever.

★ A Dangerous Performance is a 2020 rewrite of the previously published title Losing Lincoln (The Liberator Series book two)

To form a future, they must reconcile the past…

When Annabelle failed to stop the nation’s first presidential assassination, not only did the country plunge into chaos, but she’s mistaken for one of the conspirators. Imprisoned and berated while waiting for trial, she wants nothing more than to return to Rosswood Plantation. But in order to gain her freedom she must decide between trusting a man from her past or keeping her faith in the increasingly distant soldier she’s come to love.

Forced to choose between his allegiances and the safety of the people he loves, Matthew finds himself swept into the most massive manhunt in history. John Wilkes Booth has disappeared, and everything Matthew holds dear rests on finding the assassin. But to finally bring the conspirators to justice, Matthew must first conquer his own demons. Can he discover the power of redemptive love, or will his future with Annabelle be another casualty of war?

★ A Daring Pursuit is a 2020 rewrite of the previously published title Labeling Lincoln (The Liberator Series book three)

The Ironwood Plantation Family Saga

The Ironwood Plantation Family Saga

Book One: The Whistle Walk
In a time where unity seems impossible, two women will forge a friendship in the fires of redemption and thrust Ironwood into a new future—where the battle for freedom has merely begun.

Book Two: Heir of Hope
A hidden diary. Dreams of the past. And a hope for a new future.

Emily Burns grew up an orphan, so she never expected to inherit a southern plantation. When she discovers an old diary hidden in the attic, her life becomes strangely entwined with her Civil War ancestor and she soon begins to wonder how a woman long dead can keep showing up in her dreams.

Book Three: Missing Mercy
The venture ahead could leave their friendship behind.

Made a safe-haven after the Civil War, Ironwood Plantation is a refuge of equality for former slaves. But twenty years and a new generation later, they have become an isolated community with little contact with the rest of the world.

In a time where prejudices try to define them, Mercy Carpenter and Faith Harper must push the boundaries of their beliefs and trust in the God who holds the keys to freedom.

The Hope of Christmas Past

When a mysterious painting offers her a trip to the past, will Isla find new hope for her future?

On the brink of aging out the foster system, the last thing Isla Laird wants is to spend Christmas in an old-fashioned plantation. What’s the point of bonding with her foster mom when it’s too late to ever be adopted? But when a mysterious painting suddenly thrusts her into the nineteenth century, Isla is forced to face hurts and memories she’s long tried to bury. With time running out and her heart in tatters, can God use an impossible miracle to bring Isla hope for a new future?

Eternity Between Us

Two sides. Two hearts. And a gulf between them as deep and wide as eternity.

Virginia, 1861
After being forced to use a pistol against invaders, Evelyn Mapleton is no longer the timid girl her extended family expects. The more her aunt and cousin resent her new independence, the more Evelyn is determined she’ll make her missing father proud by taking up his cause and aiding Confederate soldiers–even if she has to outmaneuver the Yankees guarding her home to do it.

Samuel Flynn’s life is consumed with two priorities: learning to become a proper guardian for the young orphans he’s adopted and obtaining his physicians license. When his final testing sends him to a Federal Army field hospital, the last thing he expects is to be entranced by a mysterious woman. But when Evelyn’s misguided exploits put her life in danger, will he risk everything he’s worked for to save a woman he thinks is his enemy?

Based on first-hand accounts from the Civil War and with a strong romantic thread, this is a tale of faith, espionage, hope, and courage historical fiction fans won’t want to miss.

“This tale brings a turbulent time to life with nuance and sensitivity.”
JOCELYN GREEN, award-winning author of the Heroines Behind the Lines Civil War series

The Heart of Home

Once a wistful romantic, Opal Martin now simply aspires to scrub the remnants of the War Between the States from her tattered life. But when a nearly drowned soldier appears and asks if he can die on her porch, she must guard against the sudden revival of her heart’s hope for love.

Haunted by the war, Tristan Stuart just wants to escape the pain. But when he wakes up at a house that looks too much like home with a woman determined to mend him, he may discover a new life worth fighting for. In order to save the last of what Opal holds dear, will he become the man she needs or let the troubled waters carry him away?

Her Place in Time

A Time Travel Romance

Can love offer a new future…in the past?

Lena Lowery faces a grim diagnosis and a dangerous surgery. Staying at the Rosswood Plantation Bed and Breakfast for one last weekend with her mother, she discovers an unimaginable cure…a gown that transports her back in time.

Confederate Sergeant Caleb Dockery lost his brother, his eye, and nearly his life. Stuck in a makeshift infirmary, he’s counting the days until he can return to duty…and seek revenge. When a strange lady suddenly appears at Rosswood, he suspects she may be a spy.

When Lena’s safety is threatened, Caleb must strain the loyalties that bind him or risk losing her forever. Will she return to her own time…or can she and Caleb fight the odds and find a love that stretches across eras?

A mysterious gown, unexpected courage, and a love that transcends time.

In His Eyes

About the book:

She pretends to be a Yankee officer’s widow in order to survive. But what will she do when he returns home to a wife he didn’t marry?

Ella Whitaker rescues a newborn from the dying arms of a woman of ill repute and at long last she has someone to love. In need of a wet nurse, she arrives at Belmont Plantation just as Federal soldiers demand to speak to the owner. Thinking quickly, Ella masquerades as a Yankee officer’s widow in order to have a roof over her head and a home for the child.

Major Westley Remington has dedicated his life to serving his country. The Civil War has divided his family, torn his thoughts of glory, and left him with a wound that may never heal. Westley returns home on medical furlough to settle his father’s estate at Belmont Plantation, only to find his home is being run by a fiery and independent woman–one many believe to be his wife. Now he is faced with a conflict he’s never been trained to fight, and one she has yet to conquer.